§ 401. Births to inmates of public homes. No commissioner of public
welfare shall provide care in a public home for any pregnant woman
during confinement unless such public home has adequate hospital or
infirmary facilities, is equipped to give the necessary medical and
nursing care and has a certificate from the department authorizing such
public home to care for maternity cases. Certificates authorizing a
public home to care for maternity cases may be issued by the department
for a one-year period, subject to renewal, but may be revoked at any
time by the department. If the public home is not so certified, a
commissioner of public welfare shall, a reasonable time before the
expected confinement of any pregnant woman inmate, provide suitable
maintenance and medical care for her in a hospital or some other place
equipped to give adequate care.